Topics that have dropped in my group chat this week include sleep arrangements for my friend group’s annual reunion this weekend, this Pew Research Center political typology quiz, and inescapable anxiety about eating lettuce thanks to the cyclospora outbreak. Most of us are based in Michigan, which is ground zero for the outbreak, with more than 7,600 cases reported as of Friday. There are jokes about being “early to the trend,” with one of our friends swearing he caught it months ago and others joking about drinking the remaining water from a salad spinner as a dare. A NYC-based friend texts us about “risking her life” for a Sweetgreen salad. In last week’s Sunday newsletter, Amy vented about how much this outbreak sucks for summer produce lovers, and now consumers are seeking ways to safely munch on a crisp salad.
Last week, Taylor Farms iceberg lettuce was linked to several outbreaks across the U.S., resulting in the company recalling all of the lettuce it grows in Central Mexico. Later the FDA claimed that the Taylor Farms sample it tested produced a false-positive, and admitted that it does not know the actual source of the outbreaks. Supermarkets that carry other brands of lettuce are also suffering the consequences. Bags of lettuce that have not been recalled or linked to the parasite have remained untouched in the produce aisle out of an abundance of caution from consumers, who fear catching the diarrhea-inducing parasite. Stew Leonard’s, a grocer with locations in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, saw a drop in lettuce sales of about 10%, according to a New York Times report.
Back to my group chat; my friend said he went to the farmers market to pick up his farm share, where the vendor assured him about cyclosporiasis concerns because “their local farmers aren’t on quotas and [workers] can go to the bathroom at any point.” Followed by the vomit emoji, the text message reads, “What’s happening on these other fields?” Ahem, poor labor practices.
Buying local produce from the farmers market is one way that consumers are mitigating risk from catching the parasite. “Eating locally sourced foods will definitely decrease the risk of being infected with cyclospora, which is generally associated with imported produce,” Joseph Eisenberg, a professor of global public health and epidemiologist at the University of Michigan's School of Public Health, said in a Detroit Free Press report. To be clear, experts warn that buying locally grown produce doesn’t guarantee you won't catch the parasite; there are still ongoing investigations into how it's been spreading. However, it can help to know your farmer and understand how their food is grown.
Across the country, local headlines say farmers’ markets are seeing an uptick in foot traffic and sales. Smiley Farm, based in the Nashville area, reports a 25% increase in customers and revenue since the beginning of the outbreak. Some vendors are even seeing an increase in sales of their leafy greens. Roth Countryside Produce in Morton, Illinois and State Farmers Market in Raleigh, North Carolina have also noticed more crowds and more questions from customers about farming practices.
As Amy pointed out, this administration has cut funding for food safety monitoring, so consumers have to turn to local farmers for the reassurance the government is not providing. At the farmers market, customers can get some comfort hearing straight from farmers themselves that the produce is safe. They can ask about farming practices, how they’re growing their food, and how they are monitoring the outbreak. Since the food is local, contamination can be more easily traced back to the source. My own farmers market, Argus Farms in Ann Arbor, Michigan, is seizing the moment to educate the public about how local food systems work. In a recent email to customers, they write, “Where larger, traditional grocery stores go through long chains of consolidation, wholesale, brokers, and many more steps from farm to store, Argus Farm Stop has more direct channels.”
Everyone is getting more interested in buying local produce. Great. But the reality is that not everyone has access. Farmers markets are typically found in town and city centers and only occur once or twice a week. Many people in the U.S. live in food deserts, and their closest access to fresh produce is a big-chain grocery store. On top of that, SNAP benefits (formerly known as food stamps), which are frequently accepted at farmers markets, are getting harder to access as the federal government restricts funding. Plus, with produce prices increasing, it would not be a surprise if consumers turn to cheaper shelf-stable foods instead.
Asking about where our food comes from and questioning labor practices are good discussions to continue dropping in the group chats. It’s important to ask these deeper questions about food systems, what we’re putting in our bodies, and build trust with the farmers and purveyors that are caring for the food we’re consuming. It is good to know your local farmers. Let’s keep talking and maybe not wait for another food scare to bring it up.
New On Ravenous This Week
Jaya Saxena
Courtney E. Smith
Ashok Selvam
🐦⬛ Bird Droppings
- Our own Jaya Saxena talked to the San Francisco Gazette, an independent media outlet, about why we're doing Ravenous (it's for you!).
- Haven’t had enough cyclospora news? Columbia Journalism Review has a fascinating interview with Céline Gounder, CBS News’s medical correspondent, that points to DOGE cuts at the CDC and FDA to blame for the outbreak.
- While we’re on the topic of contaminated food, let’s talk about raw milk. Here are 5 quotes from America’s largest raw-milk dairy owner.
- Lastly, why is every new restaurant in NYC a ‘tavern’?
Raven Nickname of the Week: Mise en Raven
This week’s nickname comes courtesy of Ravenous regular Phillip.
“A play on mise en place—everything in its place, always prepared, always resourceful. Built to adapt, solve, and execute with whatever’s at hand.”
Want to nickname the bird? Become a Regular, it’s one of the perks! And if you want to know the raven’s real name, become a Big Spender today.
